“don’t make me put down my foot”

Whenever times get tough, like now, we all try to stretch our budgets
and make it go as far as possible. We continue to look at the things we
need and/or would like to have, but now it takes more of a second look
before a final decision can be made. Things get scrutinized more and
more as we fear that we are going further and further into a down-slide. Getting the simple pleasures from life isn’t as easy perhaps as it was
a year ago, but yet we know deep-down that we can always learn to adapt
and get by.

All of this is much easier for adults to understand — but for most kids
this reality just simply isn’t a reality. They don’t see the world as a
whole, they see only what is inside their world. As time goes by and
things seem to only get worse, we as parents try our best to help the
kids understand what goes on ‘outside of their world’. This isn’t
always that easy… and sometimes we have to put our foot down to get the
message across.

In the case of this owl, he is giving everyone a chance to step back —
take a deep breath — and look at what is happening around them. The
better we can all begin to understand the situation, the quicker things
will get better.

Massie’s work is a reflection of his mixed Inuit, Métis and Scottish heritage. In it, he investigates both traditional and contemporary themes. He has achieved renown for his innovative teapots that combine themes and symbols from his native Inuit culture with European traditions. Massie has been twice short-listed for the coveted Prix Saidye Bronfman and has an extensive international reputation. His work has been shown in North America and Europe, including the National Gallery of Canada. He was elected a member of Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2011.